So I challenged myself to get Momokawa to Level 100, gear her up, and be ready for another, and last go, at Molten Core with the Old Ladies.Though a few of my chicas still need their 640 helms, I am really trying not to play so much. In fact, I have a date with a friend at our workplace: we love to go and hang out, get stuff done, and consider our work our ‘studios’ if you will. I would rather go to work than stay home, too: I’m on strike for kitchen duty: I’ve emptied the dishwasher and filled it every morning this week while the nocturnal druids of the Matty-shack snooze away, and I’m not having it today. It’s killing me that there is a pile of dishes left for me every night, and I’m trying to be understanding. So, efff it –Momokawa did her Silver PG with no problem (what the hell was up with the priest anyway? Maybe my bitching, er ticket to the GMs “fixed” it.) She ran some LFRs, got some goodies, had some crafted gear made, and voila! She is ready for her close-up, and her helm.
Kick-ass Momokawa
Oh and look! Since switching to WordPress, I too now get my Annual Report. The post “Bitchy Resting Face” is the clear winner, but only because a superstar like Cymre reposted it. I don’t know if I can top that one, but meh. It’s cool, it’s cool. Those Draenei still suffer from BRF, and the human females still have thyroid issues, and the Devs and GMs do not care.
I see your apathy, good sirs, and raise you with a hearty WHATEVER.
In any case, here’s my week – work, play, clean up Christmas, work, play, work, watch LOTR marathon, work, play, and SATURDAY – want to go again? Around 3PM Pacific time? Maybe a little earlier? What say you?
Well my sweet, sweet winter holiday break is in its last week. The house is a wreck. That’s what happens when people live in a space. I mean look at this one countertop: EASTER EGG GRASS? W.T……..! It was up in the cupboard where I keep my Crock-Pot. I found all kinds of things up in that cupboard. Regardless, I made chicken ‘stuff.’ I added chicken, pico de gallo, onions, Roma tomatoes, seasonings, etc., and then yesterday evening CD Rogue asked me what ‘we’ were doing for dinner. Hate that ‘royal we,’ but yes, CD Rogue, there is a Crock-Pot FULL of chicken for tortilla soup. I know his question was innocent, but…okay. See what I get for trying? Easter egg grass and knocked over spices.
It wasn’t quite right – it needed either black beans or something, else, but it was pretty good. But yes, that resulted in a lot of dishes to wash and Easter egg basket grass on my counter. I am trying desperately to clean out clutter this week, but somehow clutter breeds, spawns, like a fungus. I read this article not too long ago about a Zen master of de-cluttering, and her simple advice was if the object doesn’t spark joy, trash it. There are a lot of things in my world that will not meet the ‘joy’ test. E-mails, both valid and spam, recycling, trash, books stacked on books, and of course jokes sent by my dad:
Dear Friends,
With the New Years celebration close upon us, I would like to share a personal experience with my friends about drinking and driving.
As you know, some of us have been known to have brushes with the authorities from time to time, often on the way home after a “social session” with family or friends.
Well, two days ago, this happened to me. I was out for an evening with friends and had more than several beers followed by a couple of bottles of rather nice red wine and a few vodka shots. Although relaxed, I still had the common sense to know I was slightly over the limit.
That’s when I did something I’ve never done before – I took a taxi home.
Sure enough on the way there was a police roadblock, but since it was a taxi they waved it past and I arrived home safely without incident.
This was a real surprise to me, because I had never driven a taxi before. I don’t know where I got it, and now that it’s in my garage I don’t know what to do with it.
Happy New Year!
Even yesterday Cymre asked if I had a screenshot of something, but alas, I didn’t – I’m trying to delete thing as I go, otherwise I end up with a cloud-level storage of screenshots and guilt. Guilt because clutter has a cost–it reminds us of all the things we haven’t, and probably won’t, accomplish. I did take screenshots of our Saturday’s OLRG Molten Core edition, but they were kind of…bad. Fortunately, Helke came to my rescue yesterday when she sent me a great screenie:
We had a great time: we didn’t have Vent on, and I missed not hearing folks’ voices. When our budget allows, I’m going to look into getting my own Mumble service. Vent is good, but Mumble always has clearer and more even voice tones. I’ll give you the information next time we play, but in the meantime here is a link to download Mumble. Molten Core, from what I understand, gives players the true experience of what it was like to raid in Vanilla. I guess. Not sure even the Wizards at Blizzard have that good of a time machine. I wish the enchant dropped more, and I certainly wish the pet dropped, guaranteed, too. But alas they don’t. Of course they don’t. Sometimes I feel like Blizzard throws its players a huge party and then expects us to pick up the check. Whatev.
Regardless, we went, we conquered, we got our hats, and all is well! I’ll try to get a group for next Saturday, too, if we manage to have any alts that need to go. I don’t know about this alt thing anymore, either. Having some doubts. I need to write about my feelings about the barn and trapping. Let’s just say on the Alliance side it feels like I’m compromising my values and running with the redneck hillbillies from Duck Dynasty. Yuck. When did Homer Stonefield and his son become such incredible yokels? And do you remember when we worked so hard to get Maybell Maclure and Tommy Stonefield together? Well now she just walks around the Barn like she’s on heavy-duty doses of Thorazine wondering where did it all go wrong…
Do you know how much I am loving that Mrs. Whitworth has taken over the grounds of my garrison? Do I have a story or two up my sleeve? Of course I do: but before I turn my holiday head toward low-rate fan-fiction, I would LOVE if my OLRG (Old Ladies Raiding Guild) could come together once more and take on Molten Core tomorrow. I am sorry for the late notice, and if it doesn’t work out until January 3, that’s fine too. In any case – I’ll be around 3PM Pacific, will put the call out. Please join me, Tome, and let’s take over Molten Core! The trick I’ve found is to stick together, don’t get your claws out, and give the tanks cheers! It is definitely a slow and steady wins the 640 head piece (that old trope). Hope to see you!
OOC: Out-of-character for a moment — when I first encountered the Frostwolf banner in Frostridge, I felt a pang in my heart: this is where the divide between Horde and Alliance hit home. Every instinct told Mataoka to run up the hill and hug her friends, though they would have killed her on sight. I wish there was some way to form treaties in the game with those characters we would serve, or allow our fealty, no matter the faction. Of all the Orcs, of course I would follow Thrall, who is disparaged at every turn for being “weak,” or Durotan, who also has met with great adversity, but whose values align with mine: family, loyalty, kindness. But alas, no matter the brief moments of truce or alliances, the two worlds shall never truly trust one another, a virtual detente is the most we can hope for.
Yesterday morning, and I’m not sure if she knew my longing, Luxy, who writes a blog, and is one of Navimie’s closest friends in the Frostwolves, sent me a present: my very own Frostwolf puppy. I have wanted one of these since I knew of it – it would be my friend, my loyal companion, a true gift from a clan that Mataoka cherishes. Though Mataoka can never be a member of the Frostwolves, she will cherish and love this animal always.
Thank you Luxy, from me the human, and from Mataoka the Shaman: Frostwolf at heart, forever.
And this is kind of embarrassing: someone visited my blog while looking for solid information on tanks versus talbuks, and all I gave them was silliness:
So the proving grounds. All they have proven to me is how pissed off I can get. I was grousing the other day to my practical friend about how frustrated I was when, after Zeptepi reached Level 100, I could not, COULD NOT, get past Bronze healing. My friend listened to me and then linked his Gold Proving Grounds achievement.
The little warlock cookie crumbled, and there were other signs that the scenario was buggy for Zeptepi. Also, I am a terrible shaman healer and had no trouble with DPS/Healing for Mataoka, and in general am a better healer on Zeptepi and Momokawa. I even put in a ticket, and got the usual reply. “Thanks for playing! Come again!’ Pfft.
I finally, through sheer will and nerd-rage, completed Bronze. I’ll get to Silver soon. To be clear: I have no issue with players having to perform this minor gate-keeping to do heroics, but I do have a HUGE issue with Blizzard not ensuring that it’s working right and makes sense. Some of the players I’ve seen in Heroics act like they’ve never played the game before. How about a dialogue tutorial or suggestion voice over for players? Whatever Blizzard. Just make sure it works, mkay?
We were also discussing how cool it would be if instead of all of our followers having all the fun, we could send our characters out on missions with them. This reminded me of when I use a Crock-Pot on the rare occasions I cook. The problem with crock-pots is the smell of whatever you’re cooking lingers in the house all day long, and if you have kind of a picky eaters like I do in the house, they hate to smell what they are going to eat for too long. Even getting them to eat leftovers is a challenge. So, instead of facing this challenge, like I would do in Proving Grounds, I do the smart thing: I don’t cook anymore. This is something I may have to try, though. Wait till everyone is out of the house so they don’t smell it cooking all day. To me, that’s half the fun is the anticipation of something delicious to eat. But–you gotta admit–it would be pretty nice to set a character out there in the world, with her special skills, and team up with followers, wake up to delicious loot and gold…
Don’t Curse the Darkness
Wait, what?
Is this what that means?
Better go see a dermatologist.
In the Northern Hemisphere, today is the shortest day of the year, or the longest night, depending on your crepuscular nature. Turns out, it’s going to be the LONGEST NIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF THE PLANET. So for my friends in Australia/New Zealand, enjoy your light. And warmth. But I find no small amount of schadenfreudewhen I realize there are silly people in New Zealand, too. It’s going to be a long night, but at least I’m not stuck in a car. But hey, the car was in New Zealand, so that would have balanced it out.
Reeled in!
He caught a whopper: me
I worked hard to get Abu’gar — I mistakenly believed a fishing troll would be a great follower for my fishing shack. Nope. Got trolled.
“Three-bedroom fixer-upper Pre-Raphaelite Mission style, post-modern debutante ball style kitchen, with war room and deluxe entertainment suite, southern view of Orcs and domestic and wild pet breeding facilities–For Let $15.95/month plus taxes. Call 813-555-MATY.”
Yeah, I don’t know. I really thought once I upgraded my garrison’s Lunarfall Inn to Level 3 it would be all chocolates-on-pillows-and-turn-down-service-with-free-bathrobes. Nope. The beds still have patched linens, and are too small, too soft, and too hard (do I smell bear?!) and no matter what time of day or night I stop in to check the bar tab receipts, Lunarfall lumberjacks and blackguards are drinking all my rum for free and pinching the wait staff’s fannies. The food is delicious, but every time I try to take a bite it disappears. I wish I had one master suite just for me, too–one that was mine to decorate, with a real big bed, Draenei style, and gorgeous furnishings. Hell, even the Weed Shack in Elodar is better appointed than the rooms at the Inn:
Momokawa is a weed expert. She’s from Denver you know.
(This is the best clip I could get– nothing is working in Draenor right now.)
So I choose the Talbuk Ranch every time I get to Nagrand. I’m sure the siege engines are lovely, albeit not fuel efficient, but those talbuks have my heart. In fact, I find the siege engines a bit over the top when going back to one’s roots in Draenor: talbuks are the only choice.
I noticed, however, then when I say giddy-up, instead of a hearty-horsey snort, my talbuk growls like my wolves. I hope you can hear the sound in that clip, because it’s true. ALL TRUE.
Kate doesn’t believe it:
There are many things in Azeroth and Draenor that aren’t quite kosher, like wolf-accented talbuks. Would you believe that there are still female players who flirt and use sexuality to get things? It’s true, all true. Most of the time it just makes everyone feel awkward and confused. I love to read Dear Prudence, and wonder what she would have to say about this? Wait, I don’t need her to weigh in, I have my own thoughts!
We can’t extricate the RP from the MMORPG: it is role play. Role play is living out a character’s life, giving it context and conflict. In this day and age, it is time to acknowledge this is a viable and creative form of human activities. Dungeons and Dragons has been around since 1973, and if they allowed girls/women to play, it would have been even richer from its outset. (I’m sure they did, but yeah, you know. Women are barely allowed in comic book stores now, much less forty years ago). So now, we are all Blood Elves and Draenei and Goblins and Trolls, both genders, and run around a beautiful world and play as we wish. If adult players choose to enter an RP scenario or server, that is theirs to do. However, it feels awkward or uncomfortable when either a man or woman engages in aggressive sexual overtures.
While in Azeroth, feel free to allow your character(s) to have a “life:” interact with other players you know and trust, and try to give strangers some leeway in terms of the casual encounters in dungeon groups, etc. Our garrisons are ripe with opportunities to interact with our followers and NPCs– and trust me when I tell you I have some stories to tell. We have friends, and our friends speak through their faces of druids, mages, priests and paladins. There must be an influence of character when on the screen our real faces are layered under our on-screen personas, for better or worse. Mostly in my case, the better. I adore my Azerothian friends.
When every impulse I have is to pour kerosene over everything, toss a match, just to make it bright and warm. I went to my book club the other night, and forgot I was supposed to bring an ornament for an ornament exchange, and one other mom has managed to keep her pre-adolescent children believing in Santa Claus–in this age of Internet and non-believers. I was flummoxed. Not only did the ladies “win” at suburban mom-ming, but I didn’t even finish the damn book, and IT WAS MY CHOICE. I love it though, and will finish it, of course (The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell.) The next one is not one I would ever choose, and am trying to keep an open mind, but think I’ll have to do the Cliff Notes again. Don’t know what Cliff Notes are? Think Spark Notes. Think cheating. Think the end-run around your sophomore English teacher. You get the idea. Life’s too short to read books you don’t want to.
I’m thinking the Romans got it right with that whole Saturnalia thing. I’ve got colleagues acting like emperors, and emperors acting like gods. Knock it off, people. Just trying to be cool and keep some modest amount of sanity. But I am realizing the older I get how uncool most people are. Like the warlock who had his void walker out, the tank kept dying, but I was the “bad healer.” I know I’ve lost it when I cuss out 12-year-old mindset players and rage quit an instance. The rage increases when I realize that I am now “locked out” of a specific instance though I didn’t even finish it, and can’t move forward with an achievement. Why isn’t there a special line for instances for working mothers whose eyes are twitching and they just need a chieve fix?
I also have realized how much I categorize people not by their Meyers-Briggs score, but what kind of character they would be in WoW: are they a sneaky rogue, an undermining warlock, or a kindly but shallow priest? Hmmm…think I need to write more about this later.
Tomorrow I have a class, and Sunday I have to work, and I have “break down and sob” from 6-9 Monday night, and then do a shot of Silver Patron tequila and see if Santa wants one, too. F*ck cookies.
This has been on my mind: What in Jove’s name did Nicholas due to deserve this purgatory? If you believe in Santa, please don’t watch. You’ll be sad.
Sugar&Blood 